The China History Podcast

Tea's epic story continues on the heels of the advances made in tea production and tea culture during the Song. After surviving the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, Camellia sinensis experiences a sea change of improvements beginning with Ming Dynasty founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. Now tea starts to become more familiar to us after this Hongwu Emperor demands that all future tribute teas must be sent in loose-leaf form. With the introduction of loose-leaf tea came greater demands for tea-ware. The history of the kilns of Jingdezhen 景德镇 is introduced, along with their calling card: Blue and White porcelain, China's first global brand. Other innovations such as teas scented with flowers and the "Tea Manual" of Zhu Quan 朱权 are also discussed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The loving embrace of tea given by those of the Buddhist faith continues on into the Song Dynasty. Some Chan Buddhist master came up with the term "Tea and Chan Buddhism are one taste" 茶禪一味. There's also more about sad Emperor Huizong, the birth of white tea, and Japan's great Buddhist monk Myōan Eisai. We'll end this eighth installment of the history of tea with an intro to Wulong (Oolong) Tea and the emergence of the Wuyi Mountains 武夷山 in northern Fujian province as a tea powerhouse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The once bitter brew sharing a Chinese character with the one used for a bitter vegetable is now long a thing of the past. Starting around a thousand or more years ago, royals, officials, scholars, and common people are now enjoying tea. The literati of the day (and there were quite a few) write poems and paint paintings, inspired by this beverage that has taken China by storm. We also look at one of the greatest royal patrons of tea in Chinese history, the Northern Song Dynasty Emperor Huizong 宋徽宗 who reigned from 1100-1126 AD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the post-Lu Yu world, tea starts to take off like a rocket. It will take a little longer for tea to get the needed traction in Japan but during the Tang, Japanese get to see it and appreciate it up close. We'll also look at one of the early "Tea Persons", the poet and recluse Lu Tong, as well as one of his most famous tea poems, "Seven Bowls of Tea". Now that tea had caught on in society, people needed the various tea accouterment. This is where teaware starts to evolve and we'll look at Yue ware and Xing ware, two of the earliest styles of teacups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We looked at Lu Yu last time and all that he did to popularize the merits of tea in the Tang Dynasty. This time, we give a once-over to his masterpiece, The Cha Jing 茶经 or Classic of Tea. The national popularity of tea in China really catches fire after Lu Yu shows everyone how to enjoy it and enjoy life at the same time. As far as the popularity and necessity of tea in the life of people acquainted with the beverage, it's never the same after this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thank you for your patience. In this fourth installment of the history of tea, we finally make it to the immortal Tea Saint. Lu Yu 陆羽. What Elvis was to rock n' roll, Lu Yu was to the popularity of tea in Chinese society. Here we'll look at his interesting life and his work, "The Classic of Tea" 茶经. From here on out, tea 茶 is no longer tú 荼, and neither is it bitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After centuries of trial and error, tea starts to transform from a bitter medicinal brew into something worthy of presenting to the emperor as tribute. Tea's development during the 326 years of the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 AD) is introduced this time. Not only do the people of China embrace tea. Those people who surrounded China to the north and to the west also took a quick liking to this drink. The important role tea played in Tibet and other border regions is also discussed, as well as the fabled trade route known as the ancient Tea-Horse Road 茶马古道. The Tea Saint, Lu Yu will be saved for the next episode. Be sure to come back again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tea might not have tasted so great in Shen Nong's time and for a thousand years thereafter. But progress was being made and tea's evolution starts to make some headway in China's Bronze Age that began around 2000 BC. But tea remained one bitter brew during these earliest centuries. It remained a work in progress but showed tremendous promise (as we'll see in future episodes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first episode, we'll explore tea's humble beginnings in the Ba 巴国 and Shu 蜀国 States in today's Sichuan province. We'll also look at the mythical story of the discovery of tea by the Divine Farmer, Shen Nong. We have a long way to go as far as tea's history is concerned. The teas we love and enjoy today, a few millennia ago in Shen Nong's time, also, still had a long way to go. Over the next twenty episodes, we'll look at the history of Chinese tea and as it transforms into a beverage that many of us couldn't do without. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we will conclude our CHP overview of the life of Sir Edmund Backhouse, 2nd Baronet. In this 3rd part of the series, we'll look at the last couple of decades of Backhouse's life. Backhouse remains in Beijing amidst all the turmoil going on during the Japanese invasion and the lead-up to WWII. In his final years, Backhouse will write a memoir that will engrave his name forever in the footnotes of Chinese history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices